From The Dust Of The Earth
by Overflowingink
Summary: A one shot with the potential for more (Eric/OC if continued). Anna Pearson has lived in Abnegation all of her life but never felt like she belonged, when given the choice to move or stay with her father, what will she pick and what will be the consequences of this decision?


**_Hello my lovelies and welcome to my first fanfiction._**

**_Initially I believe that I will start this off as a stand alone but there is certainly the potential to expand it and I've already planned out and outlined a few more chapters in the direction I think it would take if I were to continue. If it entices you in I was planning on potentially turning it into an Eric/Oc because I love me some Eric and feel there is a severe lack of Eric fanfics on this site. Who doesn't love Eric? Okay quite a few people admittedly but still come on, you know you're curious! _**

**_Just my little disclaimer that Divergent is and always will be Veronica's baby, not mine, all characters and ideas from the original novels are hers and the only characters and thought processes I consider myself to 'own' or have real license to mess with are my own characters and storylines. _**

**_Now all that good stuff is out of the way please enjoy and you shall be hearing from me later on. Seriously, I'm sorry but I do have to finish off my entry with a further little note to you all, you love it really!_**

**_*additional note: for the sake of this story (if it does go further) I have opted to increase the age of the aptitude test/ceremony/faction choosing to eighteen and play around with other ages, for example Max's age because I haven't a clue how old he is meant to be. Because my Eric is based off of Jai Courtney I feel that the ages for initiation etc should probably be pushed up a smidge for the sake of avoiding any creepiness/complaints about age gaps between characters. _**

On the morning of the choosing ceremony the sun was out and the birds on the apple tree outside chirped loudly just as they had done every morning for the last eighteen years. Although this day had started in the same manner for 364 days (more or less) for those years it was clear that today was anything but ordinary. This morning light brought with it the excitement of knowing that freedom and change was just a stones throw, or a blood's drop, away.

Leaping out of her bed Anna searched around the sparsely furnished room for a new set of clothes hanging on the lone rail in the corner. Eighteen years she had lived in this room and it still seemed to sit stoic with no real reflection of who she is. Anna had made no mark on this room in her eighteen years living here. The only personal touches were the small picture frames that sat on her bedside table. One held an image of her mother, tired but smiling, clutching a newborn Anna to her breast. Her brother, Jason, was in the photo: a fifteen year old boy with gangly limbs giving an unwilling half smile to the camera. As far as he was concerned he had felt no need for a younger sister to upset the steady balance of his life and had been quite vocal in his unwillingness for her arrival. More so after the loss of his mother, whose death he had blamed on his sister. Anna had only seen Jason twice since he had left Abnegation for Candor and neither had been a joyous occasion. The second photo was of her and her father on her first day in school. Neither had touched, as was the Abnegation way, and had stood just close enough for her teacher to take the image. Her father had not wanted any of these photos to be taken; it would be a matter of vanity to have such images placed around his own home but Anna had snuck copies of the photos and treasured them in her room. Aaron was not an unreasonable man, especially when it was in matters relating to his daughter. He had not protested heavily at his daughter's wishes to display the images and had only smiled at her, knowing it would be selfish to argue over images that were only there to give his daughter a sense of the family she had grown up without.

Anna did not know what this new day would bring, but understood it was a pivotal event in any citizen's life. It would be the first day of the rest of her life, and yes Anna was aware that was an overwhelming cliché. She had not discussed the results of her aptitude test with her father, but she knew deep down that she trusted its judgement that she was compatible with Amity. There was no doubt in her mind now that Amity was where she was meant to be, and she felt that deep down her father knew she did not belong in Abnegation.

Slipping into the shapeless grey skirt and pulling the chords on it to tighten it around her hips, she pulled on a top and scraped her slightly curling locks back into a tight bun. She may as well enjoy her last day dressed as Abnegation, savour the slightly scratchy texture of the fabric, and the comforting swish of her skirts around her ankles as soon she would be swapping her life of dull and drab greyness for a life of brightness, red and yellow, kindness and peace.

The day passed in a blur. Both Anna and her father enjoyed each other's company talking over breakfast about the past and the years they had shared. What sat most heavily in Anna's mind were her father's words.

"No matter where you go you will always be my daughter. No matter what faction gets the privilege to call you theirs for me you will always be my greatest accomplishment and my door will always be open to you. Never forget where you come from, Anna. Don't forget who you are."

Both knew what was going to happen at the choosing ceremony. Although Anna knew her decision would be no surprise to her father she could not help the guilt eating away inside her. Everyone else had left him in one way or another and now the one thing he had always claimed he could rely on, would be abandoning him. This realisation had followed shortly after the euphoria at hearing her aptitude test results and had pulled her back to reality with a harsh thud. Her joy was at the cost of her father's. Although he would say it was selfish for him to feel sorrow at her happiness she knew that when he came back into his house after a day of working with the factionless poor he would not be able to stop himself sitting in his chair at the head of the table and looking around to three empty seats. Each one once filled by a person he had loved and lost. Each one once filled with people who had, for various reasons, left him. Two of whom had chosen to do so.

Later on in that day the call came that the choosing ceremony would be starting within the hour so all who would be attending should make their way to the venue. Taking her last look around Abnegation Anna did not feel she would miss the place, just the people who had brought her up as if she were their own.

The ceremony passed in a blur. All Anna remembered was the last comforting touch of her father and muttered whispers of "remember what I said" and her response of "I love you". It seemed that the last eighteen years of her life had been leading up to this moment. She could not possibly remember what the speech had been about, all she could say was that it was read by the leader of Dauntless, a man who stood tall with a glower on his face and powerful rippling arms. He was slightly older than the other leaders and trainers stood in the Dauntless section, she would age him as roughly in his mid thirties, although she would not profess to being good with her ages. Perhaps his name was Mark? Or Max? No, thinking about it she was pretty sure his name was Max. He was intimidating, a quality seemingly typical of all of the Dauntless present, and she'd happily bet that, if the circumstances were to arise, he and all of the other younger Dauntless would be quick to fight. Bravery, or foolishness, it was personal view that dictated which word one would use but it was undeniable that the Dauntless demanded respect just by their very presence.

"Anna Pearson"

Shaking, she rose from her seat. Turning for once last glance at her father she descended the steps. Praying and chanting the mantra of "For goodness sake Anna, do not fall, do not fall, do not fall, whatever you do don't fall" in her head. Mounting the platform she took the knife that Max offered her, sliced a line along her palm and held her fist over the bowl of earth with no hesitation. Deep scarlet blood drizzled down her hand and dripped into the earth disappearing into the fine granules of dirt and dust. The drop of the blood was accompanied by cheering and clapping from her new faction as she joined them, not chancing a last look at Abnegation for fear of their reaction.

At the close of the ceremony Dauntless leaped from their seats, charging down the corridors hollering and whooping in abundant glee, it was at that point that Anna caught sight of a strange man running at the rear of the group. She would hazard a guess that he was around twenty years old, maybe a little older. He had passed in a blur of black and tattooed skin, knocking into her slightly and turning to apologise with a raised hand as he followed his group, picking up any stragglers left behind. The quick interim in which she had looked at his face she had noted that he was less pierced than his fellow Dauntless. Two piercings graced just above his eyebrow, and both his ears were sporting two black pieces, and most noticeable were the tattoos tracing a pattern down his neck and his forearm. He was undoubtedly attractive, more so than the Abnegation that Anna had grown up with. It had bemused her that a Dauntless had defied her preconceptions and apologised for an honest mistake, but walking away it was not this that surprised Anna but the way she felt drawn to follow him and talk. It wasn't a crush. For goodness sake that wasn't really possible in a split second of contact. But the Dauntless, and especially him, seemed like a foreign species to her, as did every faction in all honesty.

Shaking her head Anna followed the quieter group of Amity members, falling into step alongside a group of girls who welcomed her with open arms and smiles lighting up their faces. Forgetting about the mysterious man, Anna found herself finally feeling at one amongst this group of strangers and walked with them to her new home never doubting that this was where she belonged now.

And so as the sun set on that day of the choosing ceremony the birds sang in Amity, just as they had in Abnegation. This sunset was different, new, filled with the promise of many days ending in quiet contentment in a place safe to call home. Nothing would be ordinary again for, at least for now, this world was a new one: new opportunities and new chances to shape a life amongst the singing birds in the fields and to work amongst friends in a life of happiness and music at one with her new family.

**_And it's me again! Please leave your reviews for me to have check up on now you have finished – do you love it or hate it? Are there any glaring errors that make you want to tear your eyes out? Would you like me to continue with this and see where it takes me, if so is there anything you'd like to see me have a go at incorporating? Any comments you have will be noted and appreciated, even 'negative' ones. All I have to ask is that comments are constructive in some way or answer the above questions. If you do hate it please tell me why so I know how to improve in future! _**

**_Love to you all and hopefully see you soon with a new chapter or a new story/one shot._**

**_S x _**


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